Fight or flight! Two kingfishers lock beaks as they battle mid air

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 20:06 EDT, 29 September 2026 | Updated: 20:08 EDT, 29 September 2026 Two kingfishers locked beaks mid air as they dueled over a small patch of land.The confrontational birds were spotted in Tokyo, Japan, near a river during a light drizzle.A stunning photograph was captured by onlooker Seiichi Tsuboya, 57, where one swooping kingfisher's magnificent teal and grey wings could be seen in their full glory.A second bird appeared suspended mid air as it tightly locked beaks with its opponent.Mr Tsuboya said: 'After waiting some time and watching each other closely, chasing one another back and forth, the decisive moment finally came. They confronted each other directly for about a minute, I think. 'Fortunately, neither of them was injured, and afterwards they both returned to their respective territories.'I loved witnessing this, as a direct confrontation between kingfishers is a rare and precious moment that is very difficult to photograph. 'I spend around 100 days a year photographing kingfishers, but even with that much time in the field, I only get the opportunity to capture a confrontation like this once every one or two years. 'So I was very happy to have been there at the right moment to capture this rare encounter.' A stunning photograph was captured by onlooker Seiichi Tsuboya, 57, where one swooping kingfisher's magnificent teal and grey wings could be seen in their full glory